Time stock-feeder.



No. 811,431. PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906. W. H. PAINE.

TIME STOCK FEEDER.

ARPLIGATION FILED APE.3,1905.

NITED STATES PATENT OFF WILLIAM HENRY PLEIEYBF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

TIME STOCK-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed pril 3, 1905. Serial No. 253,530.

To (LZZ who/11 it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY PAINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stock-Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in stock-feeders, comprehending'a structure arranged to automatically deliver a suitable quantity of food to the horse-trough at a predetermined hour.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of feed-boxes suitably supported above the feed-trough and normally closed, in combination with automatic means for opening said feed-boxes at a predetermined time.

The details of structure will be described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- 111-- Figure 1 is a view in elevation, illustrating my improved automatic stock-feeder. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing but one of the feedboxes. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the controlling-roller. Fig. 41 is an ei'ilarged vertical central section of one of the feed-boxes. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a broken perspective of the controllingroller, showing the adjustable stop thereon.

Referring to the drawin s, wherein like ref- 6IQ11C611L11116I'&1S indicate ike parts throughout the several views, my automatic stockfeeder comprises a plurality of feed-boxes 1, suitably arranged above the ordinary feedtroughs 2 of the stock-stalls It is understood that, the feed-boxes throughout the system are identical and, are arran ed one for each feed-trough and. that all of the feedboxes are automatically operated from the same apparatus.

Each of the feed-boxes comprises a feedchamber 3, having a hopper-bottom 4 leading to a walled discharge-opening 5, the latter being preferably square in cross-section and projecting some distance below the hop per-bottom. Immediately below each feedbox and in alinemcnt with the discharge opening 5 and with the feed-trough 2 I arrange a funnel-shaped conveyor 6, designed to insure delivery of the feed-discharged from the feed-box into the feed-trough. The discharge-opening 5 of each feed-box is normally closed by a removable bottom 7, pivotally supported by the sides of the box through the medium of arms 8, secured at one end beneath the bottom and the'opposite end to a ably secured to the bottonr, The bottom is also provided with an upwardly-projecting flange 10 011 one edge to limit the closing movement of the bottom and insure the position of the bottom to completely close the discharge-opening 5. Arms 11 are secured to each of the supporting-arms 8, one on each side the feed-box and preferably in alinement with the lower end of the hopper 4. A series of feed-boxes so constructed and arranged are mounted above the respective troughs, and the respective ends of the arms 11 of one box are connected by flexible connections 12 with the arms 11 of the adjacent boxes, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

13 represents a suitable alarm mechanism, to the power-arbor 14 of which is secured a flexible connection 15, the arrangement being such that said connection is wound about the arbor in turning the latter to wind the alarm. The connection 15 extends from said arbor toward the first feed-box, being connected to a cross-bar 16, to the ends of which are connected the terminals of the flexible connections 12, joining the arms 11 of the respective boxes. The connections 12 from the last box in the line is also connected toa cross-bar 17, from which extends another flexible connection 18, leading over a suitable pulley 19 and connected to a weight 20.

Intermediate the alarm mechanism 13 and the first feed-box in the system I arrange a c0ntrolling-roller 21, supported in a suitable bracket 22, the forward arm 23 of which depends in alinement with the face of the roller, as shown in Fig. 3. The flexible connection 15 is wound a few times about the roller 21 prior to its connection to the cross-bar 16, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. A stop 24 is pivoted on the periphery on the front flange of the roller 21 and normally projects laterally from said flange, being adapted to contact with the arm 23 of the bracket 22in the revo lution of the roller.

In the normal position of the parts, the feed-boxes, in which a suitable quantity of food has been placed, are maintained normally closed, the bottoms of the boxes being held in this normal position by the pull IIO The let-off turns the arbor 14 in a reverse direction, slackening the connection 15 and permitting the weight to exert a pull upon the flexible connections 12, and through the arms 11 swing the bottoms 7 from beneath the feed-boxes, permitting the contents of said boxes to be discharged through the conveyers 6 into the respective feedtroughs 2. It will be evident that the contact of the stop 24 with the arm 23 of the bracket 22 will limit the revolution of the roller 21, and as the flexible connection 15 is wound about this roller the movement of said flexible connection will also be limited. This construction provides for ust sufficient movement of the box-bottom 7 as is necessary to discharge the box contents, further movement being prevented by the roller-limiting stop 24. The flanged edges 10 of the bottoms 7 will limit the closing operation of the bottoms to insure their registry with the discharge-openings of the boxes.

The stop 24: is pivotally connected with the roller 21 to permit said stop to be turned to avoid the arm 23 of the bracket, whereby to afford complete revolution of the roller when such is desirable.

The alarm may be set for any desired hour, at which time the contents of the feed-boxes will be automatically dischargedinto thefeedtroughs.

The structure described is of few parts and simple in construction, and I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form and arrangement of details herein shown, as various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is An automatic stock-feeder comprising an alarm mechanism, a feed-box having a movable bottom, means to move said bottom from closing position with relation to the feed-box, a flexible connection between the alarm mechanism and the movable bottom, a controlling-roller about which said connection is wound, and a stop for limiting the movement of said roller.

In testimony whereof I- affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM HENRY PAINE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS D. CLAIRE, M. E. PAINE. 

